PELÉ (1940–2022)

This painting dedicated to Pelé is constructed around one of the most recognisable images in the history of football. The player wearing the legendary number 10 is captured at the instant of striking the ball — a movement conveying the dynamism, precision and natural fluidity of the game. The restrained composition focuses attention on the footballer himself and the immediacy of sporting action.

Pelé — Edson Arantes do Nascimento — entered history as the only footballer to win the FIFA World Cup three times with Brazil, in 1958, 1962 and 1970. His number 10 became one of the defining symbols of global football culture, while Pelé’s name came to embody the Brazilian tradition of the game and an entire era in sporting history.

The composition deliberately moves away from conventional portraiture: Pelé is shown from behind, his identity conveyed through silhouette, movement and the inscription PELÉ 10 on his shirt. A distinctive sculptural element is created by half of a real football integrated directly into the surface of the painting. This intervention breaks the boundary between painted image and physical object, introducing additional depth and a heightened sense of movement.

Rather than depicting a particular match, the work addresses the cultural image of Pelé — a footballer whose name became part of global sporting history. The combination of painting and an integrated football creates a contemporary interpretation of sporting iconography, giving the work the presence of an independent collectible artwork.